PR is thriving in the competitive Pakistan market, taking companies and communications to a whole new level

Competition is the mother of invention - and is the driving factor in Pakistan’s recognition of public relations as an integral part of the communications strategies of many businesses. Until a few years ago, public relations was still in its infancy and, beyond the securing of an article in the mainstream press, the understanding of PR’s capabilities was extremely limited. This lack of understanding, coupled with the handful of media channels - with whom PR practitioners could engage - one TV station, a few major newspapers and an advertisers’ monopoly - meant that the whole communications arena was fairly primitive.

Pakistan then witnessed a boom in the telecomms and media industries. The region became a hotspot for foreign investment and, at last, the talents and expertise of the PR practitioner became recognised in a highly competitive marketing environment. The Pakistani consumer, once used to watching only the one TV channel, was presented with a variety of local, foreign and dedicated Indian channels - all competing for their attention. Despite this growth in media, the news channels today still take centre stage. The sheer volume of news channels over those of entertainment is worth noting, with 45+ news channels, contrasting sharply with approximately nine entertainment channels and only four music/youth channels (aired locally). This boom is not just in TV broadcast media, as a number of FM channels have launched and - in stark contrast again to the Western markets and their decline in newspapers, their profitability and readership - media moguls in Pakistan seem to know no bounds as they launch one new publication after another.

Given that this crowded media environment has led to fierce competition, companies have become more receptive to creative and innovative solutions in support of their brands and to attract and grow their share of target audience(s). PR professionals in Pakistan have seized on these opportunities and, similarly, companies are increasingly appreciating the value and cost-effectiveness of public relations as a discipline, compared with the more traditional marketing and advertising available to them.

One of the successful tools in the communications mix in our market – and in terms of brand results - has been celebrity endorsement utilising PR. Pepsi, for example, was one of the first here to embark on this approach and had a great campaign with leading cricketers.

In 2005, Telenor launched in Pakistan and collaborated with Ali Zafar, which proved to be a successful enterprise. Mr Zafar had just launched himself as a singer at that time, with having previously done modeling and acting. With his bubbly character and charming boyish looks, Ali became the darling of the press and this fervour and publicity of celebrity helped the brand attract significant attention.

With the right endorsements, such tactics continue to have positive impact in the Pakistan market, but it is important to note that PR here has moved beyond simply celebrities and mundane media relations to pitch stories to journalists.  Public relations now involves building thought leadership, social media engagement, content development, internal company communications, strategic counsel and many more aspects of corporate communications.

Companies are best served by communications that are integrated, creative and cost-effective and aim to build long-term relationships with the target audiences.  PR professionals are at the forefront of delivering such value, and the best of us are committed to being informed on and providing our clients with the most capable – and most innovative - communications tools and technologies available.  The world of new media – and the application of online and social media PR - is being recognised as a high-growth environment and is a vital channel for building audiences and market share.  It presents to companies of all kinds a challenging and exciting environment and, whether your organisation is public or private, an NGO, government department or professional body, it cannot – must not – be ignored (unless at the risk of losing your credibility and profile online as a brand).  But that’s a whole other story ...

Article by: Henna Arshad, Account Director, Action Global Communications Pakistan